NPA ‘unwelcome’ in San Carlos City

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The City of San Carlos in Negros Occidental has declared the New People’s Army (NPA) persona non-grata through a resolution recently passed and approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

Mayor Rene Gustilo led the ceremonial declaration during its flag raising ceremony last Monday, along with other city officials and employees, barangay officials, Philippine Army, local police, and other local government agency representatives.

Based on Resolution No. 19-252, the SP, as the legislative department of the city government signifies its sentiment not to welcome nor accept any advocacies of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA and its members being an enemy of the state.

Gustilo said that the city, as stated on the resolution, adheres to the principle of peace and order as an indispensable element to the development and progress of the city and thus, condemns any illegal and unlawful activities of the CPP-NPA as it threaten the economic, social, and political stability of the city and its people.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Emelito Thaddeus Logan, commander of Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB), cited the boldness and unity of the peace loving-people of San Carlos City for declaring the CPP-NPA terrorists as persona non-grata.

The people of San Carlos City did the right and just decision to protect their communities from the menace of the communist-terrorists, Logan said.

“Apart from protecting their communities, the people of San Carlos also want to sustain the city’s harmonious and flourishing socio-economic condition,” he added.

Logan said that the declaration is a manifestation of the support of the people to the efforts of the city government in ending local armed conflict.

For his part, Major General Dinoh Dolina, 3rd Infantry Division commander, in a press statement, encouraged other local government units in northern Negros to follow the bold step made by the people of San Carlos City in denouncing and declaring CPP-NPA Terrorists unwelcome in order to prevent the communist-terrorists from entering and casting terror and violence in their communities.

“Marami ng bayan sa northern Negros Occidental ang tumakwil sa CPP-NPA dahil batid nila na ang mga teroristang grupo ay walang lugar sa ating lipunan. Kung nagawa nilang manindigan laban sa CPP-NPA, sigurado ako na magagawa niyo rin ito. Gawin niyo ito para sa kapakanan ng inyong mamamayan at bayan,” Dolina said.

It can be recalled that Escalante City, and the towns of Calatrava and Toboso in the province also made the same declaration against the CPP-NPA earlier this year.